Scarlet Heart
by LittleFireDragon
Summary: Lora, a Scarlet Crusader, loses her necklace while fighting the Scourge. A mysterious half-elf mails it back to her. The two grow fond of each other, but there's a problem... and the other Scarlets do not approve. Very short chapters.
1. The Necklace

The Scarlet Crusade was losing. The death knights of Acherus overcame their every defense, pushing them back. Lora fought with all her might against the undead hordes, but it was no use. Everything was on fire and the air stank of blood and death. One could hardly make out the red flame on the paladin's tabard through all the blood. As Lora battled with a geist, she did not notice that – in an attempt to slash her throat in which the creature barely missed – the monster tore off her necklace. She was far too lost in her battle frenzy and fanatical devotion to the Crusade. She would fight to the death, if ordered to, but luckily for her, Abbendis acknowledged their defeat in New Hearthglen, and ordered a retreat. Reluctantly, the few Scarlets that remained fled the area. Some would move to Northrend, but Lora was among those who moved to Tyr's Hand, and eventually, as far West as Tirisfal, where she settled into place at the Monastery.

XXX

A man with pointed ears walked alone in the barren, burnt wasteland left behind at what was once New Hearthglen. The Scourge had been driven out, the Crusade had nothing to reclaim, and the newly-freed Knights of the Ebon Blade did not want the territory. So it remained abandoned below Acherus. The half-elf wandered aimlessly through the ruins, the wind whispering to him as the ground crunched under his feet. Something glinted, and he stopped, moving his head slightly to try to find an angle from which the shine would return. Again, the thing in the distance sparkled, and the man walked over to it. He knelt and picked up the shiny object. It was a necklace! Two tiny, elegantly wrought swords crossed behind a small shield, with the symbol of Lordaeron engraved in it and painted blood red. The whole thing was polished bronze and no more than an inch long, not counting the delicate chain that had been snapped in the back.

The half-elf turned it over. Under the two swords, on the back of the shield, there was a name engraved: Lora Northwind.


	2. The First Letter

_ To Lora Northwind (or the Scarlet Crusade in the case of her death)_

_I found the attached amulet in the remains of New Hearthglen. As a symbol of allegiance – and by extension, location – and name are both on it, I decided to mail it back to its rightful owner, should she still live. It is finely crafted and I am certain she would not want to lose such a lovely piece of jewelry. Should Lora be alive but not present at the Monastery to which I have sent this letter, please redirect it to her wherever she may be stationed._

_~ Mortimer Brightleaf_


	3. Writing Back

_ To Mortimer Brightleaf_

_I am alive and well. Thank you for the return to my necklace. It means a great deal to me. It was very thoughtful of you to go out of your way to send it to me. Though I must ask, what were you doing wandering the wasteland below an undead stronghold?_

_~ Lora Northwind_


	4. Hope

_ To Lora Northwind_

_It was the least I could do. As for why I was in the ruins, I was trying to find anything useful, perhaps even a way to redeem the place. The structures could be repaired, possibly repurposed. The land there is not lost, merely abandoned. There is hope yet for the remains of that place, and for the Plaguelands as a whole. It may take years, but it can be restored, I believe._

_~ Mortimer Brightleaf_


	5. An Innocent Question

_ To Mortimer Brightleaf_

_Your confidence and hopefulness is inspiring. From what you have said and done so far that I know of, you seem like a great man. The Light is in you, surely. You have the spirit needed to be a great Crusader. Have you thought about joining the Scarlet Crusade?_

_~ Lora Northwind_


	6. Avoidance

_ Dear Lora,_

_I have my reasons for avoiding the Crusade. I do not believe I meet the qualifications, and even if I did… Your order is known for the mistakes it has made. While the destruction of the Scourge is just and necessary, several innocent mortals have been slain by the Scarlet Crusade because of mistaken identity._

_~ Mortimer Brightleaf_


	7. Sympathizing With the Enemy?

_ Dear Mortimer,_

_The mistakes we've made are regrettable, but we cannot be too careful. Better a few innocents die than the undead infiltrate our ranks. You don't sympathize with __them__, do you?_

_~ Lora Northwind_


	8. Rejecting the Offer

_ Dear Lora,_

_I am merely stating that I believe the Scarlet Crusade is dangerously paranoid (and rightfully so, with all the undead raids, it is no wonder you assume any humanoid approaching is undead) and I do not wish to risk myself approaching them or being initiated._

_~ Mortimer_


	9. An Offer He Can't Refuse

_ Dear Mortimer,_

_If I were to escort you to the Monastery, I'm certain they would allow you in at least long enough to decide whether you could join._

_~ Lora_


	10. Silver or Red?

_ Dearest Lora,_

_Your kindness is touching. As much as I would love to meet you in person, I must turn down your offer. I have my own reason to avoid the Crusade._

_It's strange; you don't seem much like a Scarlet – more like an Argent._

_~ Mortimer_


	11. Traitors

_ Dear Mortimer,_

_Why do you say that? The Argents are traitors! They accept the undead in their ranks! What could possibly make me like them?_

_~ Lora_


	12. Mortimer Explains

_ Dearest Lora,_

_The presence of undead in the ranks isn't the only thing separating the Scarlet Crusade from the Argent Dawn._

_As for you… You seem far too friendly to be a Scarlet. You lack the paranoia that marks many of your fellows, while still remaining cautious. You're willing to go out of your way to help me by escorting me and protecting me from your fellows, all while putting yourself at risk by wandering through the Plaguelands. Few Scarlets show that kind of compassion for others._

_I would not say this to any Scarlet but you, Lora: many Crusaders are insane. So many of them do not give others a chance; they are paranoid beyond all sense, and many of their practices are extreme. While I understand the necessity of vigilance, I believe the Scarlets take it too far. Most would kill me for expressing the opinion I have just written to you, though I know you would not._

_I pray that this letter does not fall into the wrong hands before it reaches you, lest I get us both killed, but I feel I must express this to you in order to explain myself. I do hope you understand._

_~ Mortimer_


	13. A Humble Servant of the Light

_ Dearest Mortimer,_

_Your compliments are too kind. Please, I am but a humble servant of the Light. There is no need to flatter me so._

_I understand your opinion of the Scarlet Crusade, though I am disappointed. Perhaps you will change your mind. We do have our problems, but we have our virtues as well. Perhaps I could tell you of them? This conversation would be much easier to hold in person, and I would be quite eager to meet you._

_~ Lora_


	14. Giving In

_ Dearest Lora,_

_I would love to meet you, as well, reluctant though I am to approach any Crusader – even you. However, I trust you enough that I am willing to accept your offer to meet. Would you like to meet me by the sea at the end of the week, the hour of the sunset?_

_~ Mortimer_


	15. Offer Accepted

_ Dearest Mortimer,_

_I would love to. I will see you then. I anticipate it eagerly; moments of joy are few these days._

_~ Lora_


	16. The Meeting

Lora arrived at the empty ruins of New Hearthglen. She kept a hand on her sword at all times; the undead could jump her at any minute. The sun was nearly setting, bathing the ground in a warm glow. The ground crunched beneath her sabatons, but she tried to remain as quiet as possible, listening for any signs of movement. She made her way down to the sea, where she relaxed slightly. The sun glittered on the waves, and the sea breeze felt wonderful.

The half-elf watched her carefully. He waited for a sign that it was Lora, not wanting to speak if it wasn't. After a few minutes, she began idly playing with the necklace, allowing Mortimer to catch a glimpse of it. The sun had nearly set, and the lighting had changed from golden to nearly orange. For a moment, though he could reveal himself, he stayed put, admiring her beauty from afar. He gulped and then stepped out.

XXX

Aralin was suspicious of Lora's behavior. She was distracted and anxious, and behaved as though she were leaving! It was as if she were going to meet someone! Who could she possibly be meeting outside the Crusade? It was all too likely she was a spy working for the undead, or maybe even undead herself! He knew he had to find out what the woman was up to; clearly she was a threat! He decided to follow her, and told a few other Crusaders of his plan. They approved and not long after he set out, a good distance behind her, and with his scarlet hound at his side, he tracked her

XXX

Lora spun around, unsheathing her sword in seconds. She stepped back, glaring suspiciously at him. She didn't notice anything he was wearing in particular, except for the black mantle that obscured most of his body and the great hood that hung over his face, so nothing above the tip of his nose was visible. The pointed ears poked out of a pair of holes cut into the hood, and long black hair cascaded down from inside the cowl.

"Mortimer?"

The half-elf nodded. His shoulders slumped ever so slightly. He felt a sudden pang of guilt and regret. He wished he'd never accepted her offer to meet. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't come.

"Is something wrong?" Lora lowered the blade, but did not sheathe it.

Mortimer spoke, after much hesitation. His voice did not sound anything like Lora had expected – it _echoed._ "I- I'm sorry, Lora…" He pulled the hood back, revealing a pale, gaunt face with faintly glowing blue eyes.


	17. Caught!

"I have deceived you," the half-elf said, hanging his head sadly, "and put you in danger through doing so… I regret it deeply, but there was no other way-"

Lora raised her sword for a moment, let out a small sigh, then sheathed the weapon. She pointed to the distance, glaring furiously at Mortimer. "Get out of my sight."

"Lora…"

"_Go._"

The death knight sighed in defeat and turned to leave, crestfallen. Lora shut her eyes tightly, feeling betrayed. She remained there for quite some time, stewing in her own anger, before finally turning to journey back to the Scarlet Monastery.

Aralin had seen the whole thing from his position behind a charred building at the top of the cliff. He was unable to determine what was being said, but he saw the glowing eyes of the man Lora had been meeting with. It was true! Lora was a traitorous spy, working with the undead! She was a threat to the entire Crusade; he had to inform Whitemane as soon as possible! His dog growled, and the tracker hushed it, then stood. "Heel." He turned and began walking, and then broke into a run when he was sure the dog was ready at his side.


	18. Chamber Seven

Lora continued to struggle against the four other Scarlet Paladins who had her captured. Her feet were chained together with just enough length to walk, and her wrists were tied behind her back, but she fought anyway. Whitemane glared at her without a hint of mercy in her eyes. "This is why we must always be alert… The undead can corrupt even a paladin… Take her to chamber seven."

The paladin's eyes widened, and she looked up at the High Inquisitor pleadingly. "Not chamber seven…!"

Whitemane gestured with her hand as though swatting away a metaphorical fly. "Take her away."

Lora continued to fight the whole way to the torture chamber, but it was useless.

XXX

Mortimer's conscience was eating away at him. The Crusaders were paranoid. By meeting with Lora, he could have put her in great danger, or possibly even indirectly caused her death. Not only that, but he'd heard rumors that the Scarlets were no longer replying to mail from anyone, suggesting that someone had been caught communicating with an enemy through the mail – Lora? The death knight began to worry about her safety. He decided to check on her, just in case…


	19. Torture

Lora gasped as Vishas yanked her out of the Iron Maiden. She was in too much pain even to sob. She just panted and went limp, but he held her up with an iron grip on her arm. Her hair was still damp from the waterboarding.

"Now! Tell me! How much did you tell them?"

"I didn't tell them anything!"

Interrogator Vishas threw her onto the rack and secured her limbs to it. He cast a healing spell on her so she wouldn't die of blood loss before giving him the information he sought. "How long have you been in league with the undead? _Tell me!_"

"I'm not! I haven't been; he's not with-" she interrupted herself mid-statement with a scream as Vishas cranked the rack out a couple notches.

"You will tell me what you told him! Tell me all of it! What did he promise you in return for the information?"

Lora didn't have a chance to react; the door literally flew off its hinges, blasted away by a powerful frost spell. A half elf death knight charged in, runeblade ready. "_Lora!_"


	20. Aralin

"What is-" Vishas didn't get a chance to finish his sentence. The death knight had already lopped off his head.

"M-Mortimer?"

The half-elf let the paladin loose. "Come on, we've got to get out of here!"

She got up and after a moment's pause, pulled herself together and rushed over to where her armor had been discarded. She rushed to get it on, and Mortimer helped her to speed it up. Once she was armed and armored, they started toward the door – too late.

A crimson dog leapt onto Mortimer's chest, knocking him down. It snarled viciously as it tried to rip his throat out. His runeblade slipped out of his hand and flew across the room. It was all the death knight could do to keep the dog from tearing into him!

"Not so fast, traitor!" It was Aralin. He had his sword pointed right at Lora. They circled for a moment before he lunged. Lora parried the blow, shoving his weapon aside and counterattacking. Aralin dodged and grabbed the other paladin's wrist. He tried to yank her onto his blade but she again used her own sword to move his. He saw his own weapon moving toward his hand and jumped back, letting the girl go.

Mortimer managed to get a foot under the flailing hound, which he held at arms' length from his chest, and kicked it away. He didn't even get up all the way; the only thing on his mind was getting his weapon back.

The dog, by pure chance, crashed into its own master, knocking him down. It got up again and launched itself at the woman approaching his owner. Lora managed to keep her grip on the weapon, even when she and the dog slammed into the wall. It lunged at her but she got her sword into its throat before it could do anything.

The death knight reached for his blade. "_No you don't, undead fiend!_" Aralin had gotten back to his feet. He was running, sword raised, toward Mortimer. The half-elf's eyes went wide and he flinched back instinctively.

A blade burst through the Scarlet Crusader's chest – he let out a short yelp, and then slumped lifelessly to the ground.

Lora held her hand out to the death knight. He grabbed his sword and took her hand; she pulled him up, and they made a run for it.


	21. Ride Away

The Monastery was in an uproar. Word of an attack spread like wildfire. Crusaders ran around frantically, in a state of utter chaos as they all tried to figure out what was going on and where the attacker was.

"_There they are! Kill them! __**Kill them!**_" Whitemane shouted, charging as Lora and Mortimer ran as fast as they could. They darted around Scarlets, weaving around their attackers as they made a beeline for the door. A few Scarlets had to be cut down as the death knight and paladin made their frantic escape.

"Hurry," Mortimer said, "my deathcharger is hidden in the woods just outside!"

"_Do not let them escape!_" Renault shouted, lunging at the death knight. Mortimer responded by slashing his leg, causing the paladin to stumble and fall.

The two charged out the door. The death knight led Lora by the wrist to where his undead steed waited. She climbed on and he quickly mounted the horse behind her. Mortimer snapped the reins and the deathcharger took off at a gallop, leaving the Monastery behind, and the Scarlets in the dust.


	22. The End

The sun was on the horizon, just as it had been on the eve of their meeting. The death knight helped the paladin down from the massive horse.

"I was wrong to send you away, Morty… I was wrong about myself, and the Crusade, too."

"I was wrong to put you in danger like that. I'm sorry…"

"Don't be." Lora knew she was no longer welcome in the Scarlet Crusade. Perhaps the Argent Dawn would take her in. The paladin held up the necklace and looked thoughtfully at the crimson symbol on the tiny shield. After a moment, she took the necklace off and moved as though to throw it away, but stopped.

She looked at Mortimer and put the chain over his head, lightly hanging the symbol around his neck. Then, she moved forward and kissed him.

She was a Scarlet Crusader no more.


End file.
